KUANTAN: The public has been urged to stop spreading fake information about the existence of new fault lines which supposedly puts Malaysia at risk of facing major earthquakes.

Institute of Geology Malaysia member Ahmad Rosli Othman P. Geol said there has never been any discovery of any new fault line by local experts.

He said it was not easy to identify new fault lines as such things were identified below the ground and required careful readings and research.

He said Malaysia has certain geological features which were formed hundreds of years ago, but these were non-active. He said the only “small-scale” activity occured in these features due to the release of bodies of water at dams or stress that happens on the earth’s plates.

The viral information was spread following the recent earthquake in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

The viral message claimed that there was a new fault line spanning Shah Alam, Selangor to Bukit Tinggi, Pahang which included many highly-populated areas in Petaling, Kuala Lumpur and Hulu Klang.

The message also claimed there was a second fault line spanning Ranau to Lahad Datu, Sabah and a third one between the straits of Melaka to Manjung, Perak.

Rosli said there were three main fault lines in peninsula Malaysia, known as the Bokbak fault line from Perlis to Ipoh, Perak, the fault zone between Bentong to Raub, Pahang and the Bebir fault zone between Tumpat, Kelantan and Johor Baru, Johor.

“These fault lines are non-active, but there have been small-scale tremors in two locations each in Pahang (Bukit Tinggi and Lepar) and Terengganu (Baling and Kuala Berang) that were possibly caused by the release of large bodies of water or stress points on the earth’s plates.

“The incident in Indonesia was due to the area being within the Pacific ring of fire. It is normal for earthquakes to occur in that area. These include both major and minor earthquakes,” he said.

Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/10/421009/stop-spreading-false-information-new-earth-fault-lines-says-expert